The present invention relates generally to lacrosse equipment, and more particularly, to a lacrosse stick pocket and a related method of manufacture.
Conventional lacrosse sticks include a head joined with a handle. The head includes a frame that forms a region within which a lacrosse ball can be caught, held or shot. A netting structure is joined with the back side of the frame, typically laced through multiple small holes defined by the frame. The netting structure typically forms a pocket within which the ball is held while a player is in possession of the ball, and can be a determinant factor as to the player's ability to catch, retain and shoot the ball.
Typically, different players at different positions prefer pockets having certain properties and certain configurations. For example, while a player at an attack position generally prefers a relatively shallow pocket for the quick release and accurate shooting of a lacrosse ball, a midfielder prefers a deeper pocket, so that they can better control and safely carry a ball by cradling it back and forth, causing the ball to snugly set in the pocket due to the centrifugal force produced by the cradling. Further, depending on the particular player, they may prefer a modification of the pocket. For example, an attacker may prefer their shooting strings, which generally form the ramp of the pocket from which the lacrosse ball is shot, to be at a certain angle, or at to have a particular resilience.
With many conventional pockets, however, it is frequently difficult to accommodate these player preferences without significant knowledge and experience about how to modify the netting so that the pocket has a specific profile and performs as desired. Further, when conventional pockets wear out after extensive play, the mere thought of replacing it can be daunting to many, particularly younger or less experienced lacrosse players. The reason for this is because most pockets require a complex lacing procedure, which is mastered by only a limited number of individuals, to secure the netting to a lacrosse frame in a desired pocket configuration. Thus, many lacrosse players, particularly youths and newcomers to the sport, are left at the mercy of having to wait for their lacrosse sticks to be restrung by someone else, and even then, after the pocket is strung, they usually must wait several weeks or months until it is properly broken in.
In addition to conventional lacrosse pockets being difficult to customize and replace, they usually are affected by climate. For example, even where netting is woven or otherwise constructed from filaments of nylon or polypropylene, when wetted by a rain, the netting of the pocket can shrink or become slippery, which can significantly alter how a lacrosse ball is shot from the pocket. This can lead to inconsistent shooting, which can be detrimental to the player's performance.
Some manufacturers have attempted to resolve the above issues, but few have succeeded. One approach is implemented in a pocket called the deBeer Gripper Pro, commercially available from J. deBeer & Son of Altamont, N.Y. The technology of this pocket is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 7,524,253 to Gait, which generally describes a pre-formed pocket including runners having two layers of multiple types of different materials and perpendicular cross pieces strung between the runners. A first layer includes a polyurethane material that is joined with a braided nylon web. A second layer also includes a polyurethane material joined with another braided nylon web. The first and second layers are sandwiched and machine stitched together in some areas, but separated in other areas to form openings between the layers. The openings are large enough so that the cross pieces can be loosely inserted through them. The cross pieces or other laces are then laced through openings in the lacrosse head frame.
While this construction provides an easy-to-install runner system, it requires a skill to precisely position and connect the cross pieces to the multilayered runners, which skill may not be possessed by younger or inexperienced players. Moreover, although the polyurethane and braided nylon layers work well, the layering of different materials requires additional assembly time. The extra machine stitching and sewing to join the various layers also requires additional assembly time and resources. Thus, while the above systems work, there remains room for improvement.